Garment

ABSTRACT

A garment includes a unitary garment body having opposed front and rear panels, opposed first and second sides, opposed upper and lower ends, a neck-receiving opening formed in the upper end of the garment body, an arm stall formed in the upper end of the garment body on either side of the neck-receiving opening, a crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body, and a leg stall formed in the lower end of the garment body on either side of the crotch. The front panel defines a waist section adjacent to the crotch between the crotch and the arm stalls. An elongate access opening is formed in the waist section of the front panel, which extends laterally across the waist section of the front panel from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to clothing and, more particularly, to baby clothing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The term “onesie” is a term of art in the field of baby clothing that refers to a unitary bodysuit used to cloth a human baby. Onesie garments provide a convenient, easy, and inexpensive way to cloth a human baby. However, a longstanding problem with the onesie garment is the difficulty in removing the onesie garment from a baby to change the baby's diaper, and the associated difficulty of re-clothing the baby with the onesie garment after the baby's diaper is changed. Some onesie garments must be completely removed from the baby to allow the baby's diaper to be changed, which is frustrating and time-consuming. Other onesie garments are formed with a relatively complicated set of openings formed in the lower end and legs stalls of the onesie that are secured with snaps or buttons, which are used to open and close the openings to allow access to the baby to change the baby's diaper. This latter form of onesie is particularly difficult to use due to the convoluted arrangement of openings and the difficultly in opening and closing the openings with the buttons or straps. Other deficiencies in the art of onesie garments will readily occur to those having ordinary skill in the art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved onesie garment that is inexpensive, that is easy to make, that it easy to install on a human baby, that is easy to remove from a baby, and which incorporates a uniquely-formed access opening to allow a caregiver to change the baby's diaper without having to remove the onesie garment from the baby.

According to the principle of the invention, a garment consists of a unitary garment body including opposed front and rear panels, opposed first and second sides, opposed upper and lower ends, a neck-receiving opening formed in the upper end of the garment body, an arm stall formed in the upper end of the garment body on either side of the neck-receiving opening, a crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body, a leg stall formed in the lower end of the garment body on either side of the crotch, and a waist section of the front panel of the garment body formed adjacent to the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body between the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body and the arm stalls formed in the upper end of the garment body. An elongate access opening is formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, which extends laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body. Opposed margins are formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, which extending laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body and cooperate with the opposed sides of the garment body to form the elongate access opening. In a particular embodiment, the arm stalls are arm-receiving sleeves, and the leg stalls are leg-receiving sleeves.

According to the principle of the invention, a garment consists of a unitary garment body including opposed front and rear panels, opposed first and second sides, opposed upper and lower ends, a neck-receiving opening formed in the upper end of the garment body, an arm stall formed in the upper end of the garment body on either side of the neck-receiving opening, a crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body, a leg stall formed in the lower end of the garment body on either side of the crotch, each of the leg stalls comprising a leg-receiving sleeve having an open proximal end formed in the lower end of the garment body and an opposing closed distal end formed by a foot-receiving boot, and a waist section of the front panel of the garment body formed adjacent to the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body between the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body and the arm stalls formed in the upper end of the garment body. An elongate access opening is formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, which extends laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body. Opposed margins are formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, which extends laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body and cooperate with the opposed sides of the garment body to form the elongate access opening. In a particular embodiment, the arm stalls consist of arm-receiving sleeves.

According to the principle of the invention, a garment consists of a unitary garment body including opposed front and rear side panels, opposed first and second sides, and opposed upper and lower ends, a neck-receiving opening formed in the upper end of the garment body, an arm stall formed in the upper end of the garment body on either side of the neck-receiving opening, a crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body, a leg stall formed in the lower end of the garment body on either side of the crotch, and a waist section of the front panel of the garment body formed adjacent to the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body between the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body and the arm stalls formed in the upper end of the garment body. An elongate access opening is formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, which extends laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body. A flap is formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body. The flap extends laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body and is movable between a first position revealing the access opening from the first side of the garment to the second side of the garment and a second position covering the access opening from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body. Opposed margins are formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, which extend laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body and cooperate with the opposed sides of the garment body to form the elongate access opening. In a particular embodiment, the arm stalls are arm-receiving sleeves, and the leg stalls are leg-receiving sleeves. Each of the leg-receiving sleeves have an open proximal end formed in the lower end of the garment body and an opposing closed distal end formed by a foot-receiving boot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a garment constructed and arranged in accordance with the principle of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the garment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the garment of FIG. 1 illustrating a flap, formed in a front panel of a garment body of the garment, shown in a raised position revealing an elongate access opening formed in the front panel of the garment body; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmented vertical sectional view of the garment of FIG. 3 illustrating a portion of the elongate access opening and the flap formed adjacent to one side of the garment body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is directed in relevant part to FIGS. 1 and 2, in which there is seen front and rear views, respectively, of an article of clothing or garment 10 constructed and arranged in accordance with the principle of the invention. Garment 10 consists of a unitary garment body 11 including a front or front panel 12 and an opposed rear or rear panel 13, opposed sides 14 and 15, and opposed upper and lower ends 16 and 17. In this example, side 14 is the right side of garment body 11, and side 15 is the left side of garment body 11. Front and rear panels 12 and 13, and sides 14 and 15 extend from upper end 16 of garment body 11 to lower end 17 of garment body 11, and together form a volume to receive a torso or trunk of a human baby.

A neck-receiving opening 20 is formed in upper end 16 of garment body 11, and opposed arm stalls 21 and 22 are formed in upper end 16 of garment body 11 on either side, respectively, of neck-receiving opening 20. In this example, arm stall 21 is formed proximate to side 14 of garment body 11 and is the right arm stall of garment body 11, and arm stall 22 is formed proximate to side 15 of garment body 11 and is the left arm stall of garment body 11. A crotch 23 is formed in lower end 17 of garment body 11. Leg stalls 24 and 25 are formed in lower end 17 of garment body 11 on either side, respectively, of crotch 23. In this example leg stall 24 is formed proximate to side 14 of garment body and is the right leg stall of garment body 11, and leg stall 25 is formed proximate to side 15 of garment body 11 and is the left leg stall of garment body 11.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, arm stalls 21 and 22 consist of arm-receiving sleeves 30 and 31. Sleeves 30 and 31 are identical in structure and size and shape. Sleeve 30 has an open proximal end 32 formed in upper end 16 of garment body 11 at side 14 and extends outwardly and somewhat downwardly from side 14 to an open distal end 33. Sleeve 31 has an open proximal end 34 formed in upper end 16 of garment body 11 at side 15 and extends outwardly and somewhat downwardly from side 15 to an open distal end 35. Sleeves 30 and 31 are sized and shaped so as to be generally representative of long sleeves. Sleeves 30 and 31 may, if desired, be sized and shaped so as to be generally representative of short sleeves. In a further example, arm stalls 21 and 22 may be formed simply as arm-receiving openings, respectively.

Leg stalls 24 and 25 consist of leg-receiving sleeves 40 and 41. Sleeves 40 and 41 are identical in structure and size and shape. Sleeve 40 has an open proximal end 42 formed in lower end 17 of garment body 11 proximate to side 14 and extends downwardly from lower end 17 of garment body 11 to a distal end 43. Distal end 43 is closed by a foot-receiving boot 44 formed in distal end 43. Sleeve 41 has an open proximal end 45 formed in lower end 17 of garment body 11 proximate to side 15 and extends downwardly from lower end 17 of garment body 11 to a distal end 46. Distal end 46 is closed by a foot-receiving boot 47 formed in distal end 46. Sleeves 40 and 41 are sized and shaped so as to be generally representative of long pant sleeves or pant legs. Sleeves 40 and 41 may, if desired, be sized and shaped so as to be generally representative of short pant legs or sleeves. In a further example, leg stalls 24 and 25 may be formed simply as leg-receiving openings, respectively.

Garment 10 is formed of a soft, pliant fabric, such as a cotton fabric, a polyester fabric, or the like, and is generally representative of a “onesie” garment worn by human babies from birth through two to three years of age. The term “onesie” is a term of art and refers to a unitary body-receiving suit as herein described used to cloth human babies. Installation of garment 10 onto a human baby will be discussed later in this specification.

Referencing FIG. 1, front panel 12 defines a waist section 50, which is formed above and adjacent to crotch 23 formed in lower end 17 of garment body 11 between crotch 23 formed in lower end 17 of garment body 11 and arm stalls 21 and 22 formed in upper end 16 of garment body 11. Looking to FIG. 3, an elongate access opening 51 is formed in waist section 50 of front panel 12 of garment body 11. Access opening 51 extends laterally and completely across waist section 50 of front panel 12 of garment body 11 from side 14 of garment body 11 to side 15 of garment body 11. In particular, opposed, substantially parallel margins 55 and 56 are formed in waist section 50 of front panel 12 of garment body 11. Margin 55 is formed in waist section 50 of front panel 12 of garment body 11 toward upper end 16 of garment body 11, and margin 56 is formed in waist section 50 of front panel 12 of garment body 11 below margin 55 toward crotch 23 and lower end 17 of garment body 11. Margins 55 and 56, which are considered edges, extend laterally across waist section 50 of front panel 12 of garment body 11 from side 14 of garment body 11 to side 15 of garment body 11 and cooperate with sides 14 and 15 of garment body 11 forming access opening 51, in accordance with the principle of the invention. Margin 55 forms the upper side of access opening 51 toward upper end 16 of garment body 11, and margin 56 forms the lower side of access opening 51 toward lower end 17 of garment body 11.

Momentary reference is now made to FIG. 4, which is a fragmented vertical sectional view of garment 10 illustrating a portion of access opening 51 formed adjacent to side 14 of garment body 11 showing opposed margins 55 and 56 extending to side 14 forming the extreme right side of access opening 51 at side 14 of garment 10. This same arrangement between margins 55 and 56 is also formed at side 15 of garment 10.

Referencing FIG. 1, a skirt or flap 60 is formed in waist section 50 of front panel 12 of garment body 11, which extends laterally across waist section 50 of front panel 12 of garment body 11 from side 14 of garment body 11 to side 15 of garment body 11. As illustrated in FIG. 3, flap 60 is integrally formed with marginal section 55 and extends away from marginal section 15 and is movable between a first/closed position as illustrated in FIG. 1 closing access opening 51 (not shown in FIG. 1) and a second/open position as illustrated in FIG. 3 opening or otherwise revealing access opening 51. In the closed position of flap 60 as illustrated in FIG. 1, flap 60 extends downwardly from margin 55 across access opening 51 and downwardly over and across margin 56 toward crotch 23 of garment body 11 closing or otherwise covering and concealing access opening 51 from side 14 of garment body 11 to side 15 of garment body 11. In the open position of flap 60 as illustrated in FIG. 2, flap 60 is folded upwardly and away from access opening 51 at margin 55 to open or otherwise reveal access opening 51 from side 14 of garment body 11 to side 15 of garment body 11, in accordance with the principle of the invention.

Garment 10 is used to cloth a human baby. To apply garment 10 to a baby, the upper torso of the baby is applied head first into the volume bound by garment body 11 through access opening 51 in a direction toward upper end 16 of garment body 11, and the head of the baby is applied through neck-receiving opening and the right and left arms of the baby is applied into right and left arm stalls 21 and 22 through open proximal ends 32 and 34, respectively. At this point, margin 56 is pulled downwardly away from upper end 16 of garment body 11 to widen access opening 51 and the left and right legs of the baby are applied into garment 10 through access opening 51 and are applied into right and left leg stalls 24 and 25 through open proximal ends 42 and 45, respectively, and the lower torso of the baby is applied into the volume bound by garment body 11 applying crotch 23 of garment body 11 to the crotch of the baby. At this point, flap 60 is moved to its closed position as illustrated in FIG. 1 to complete the clothing of the baby with garment 10. To remove garment 10 from the baby, the foregoing operation to install the garment 10 on to the baby need only be reversed.

Because garment 11 is used to cloth a human baby and because human babies wear diapers to collect urine and fecal matter, a baby clothed by garment 10 will typically be wearing a diaper. As such, access opening 51 of garment 10 is specifically structured relative to garment 10 to provide convenient access to the baby to change the baby's diaper without having to completely remove the garment from the baby. To change a diaper worn by a baby wearing garment 10, flap 60 is simply moved into its open position as illustrated in FIG. 3 opening or otherwise revealing access opening 51, margin 56 is pulled downwardly toward crotch 23 to widen access opening 51, the right and left legs of the baby are removed from right and left leg stalls 24 and 25, and the legs and lower torso of the baby are removed from garment 10 through access opening 51, all without removing the upper torso and arms of the baby from garment 10. The ability to remove the legs and lower torso of a baby wearing garment 10 through access opening 51 without having to remove the upper torso and arms from the garment is provided by the structure of access opening 51 extending laterally across waist section 50 of front panel 12 of garment body 11 from side 14 of garment body 11 to side 15 of garment body 11. After changing the diaper, the legs and lower torso of the baby are reapplied into garment 10 through access opening 51 as previously explained, and flap 60 is moved to its closed position as illustrated in FIG. 1 closing or otherwise concealing access opening 51, in accordance with the principle of the invention.

The present invention is described above with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications may be made in the described embodiment without departing from the nature and scope of the present invention. Various further changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. To the extent that such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof. 

1. A garment, comprising: a unitary garment body including opposed front and rear panels, opposed first and second sides, opposed upper and lower ends, a neck-receiving opening formed in the upper end of the garment body, an arm stall formed in the upper end of the garment body on either side of the neck-receiving opening, a crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body, a leg stall formed in the lower end of the garment body on either side of the crotch, and a waist section of the front panel of the garment body formed adjacent to the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body between the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body and the arm stalls formed in the upper end of the garment body; and an elongate access opening formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, the elongate access opening extending laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body.
 2. The garment according to claim 1, further comprising opposed margins formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, the opposed margins extending laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body and cooperating with the opposed sides of the garment body to form the elongate access opening.
 3. The garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the arm stalls comprise an arm-receiving sleeve.
 4. The garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the leg stalls comprise a leg-receiving sleeve.
 5. A garment, comprising: a unitary garment body including opposed front and rear panels, opposed first and second sides, opposed upper and lower ends, a neck-receiving opening formed in the upper end of the garment body, an arm stall formed in the upper end of the garment body on either side of the neck-receiving opening, a crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body, a leg stall formed in the lower end of the garment body on either side of the crotch, each of the leg stalls comprising a leg-receiving sleeve having an open proximal end formed in the lower end of the garment body and an opposing closed distal end formed by a foot-receiving boot, and a waist section of the front panel of the garment body formed adjacent to the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body between the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body and the arm stalls formed in the upper end of the garment body; and an elongate access opening formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, the elongate access opening extending laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body.
 6. The garment according to claim 5, further comprising opposed margins formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, the opposed margins extending laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body and cooperating with the opposed sides of the garment body to form the elongate access opening.
 7. The garment according to claim 5, wherein each of the arm stalls comprise an arm-receiving sleeve.
 8. A garment, comprising: a unitary garment body including opposed front and rear side panels, opposed first and second sides, and opposed upper and lower ends, a neck-receiving opening formed in the upper end of the garment body, an arm stall formed in the upper end of the garment body on either side of the neck-receiving opening, a crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body, a leg stall formed in the lower end of the garment body on either side of the crotch, and a waist section of the front panel of the garment body formed adjacent to the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body between the crotch formed in the lower end of the garment body and the arm stalls formed in the upper end of the garment body; an elongate access opening formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, the elongate access opening extending laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body; and a flap formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, the flap extending laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body and movable between a first position revealing the access opening from the first side of the garment to the second side of the garment and a second position covering the access opening from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body.
 9. The garment according to claim 8, further comprising opposed margins formed in the waist section of the front panel of the garment body, the opposed margins extending laterally across the waist section of the front panel of the garment body from the first side of the garment body to the second side of the garment body and cooperating with the opposed sides of the garment body to form the elongate access opening.
 10. The garment according to claim 8, wherein each of the arm stalls comprise an arm-receiving sleeve.
 11. The garment according to claim 8, wherein each of the leg stalls comprise a leg-receiving sleeve.
 12. The garment according to claim 8, wherein each of the leg stalls comprises a leg-receiving sleeve having an open proximal end formed in the lower end of the garment body and an opposing closed distal end formed by a foot-receiving boot. 